Dude, how can I possibly follow Ms. LOLRegencies down there?!?

Oy.

Okay. So you’ve been warned. I am likely to be INCREDIBLY DULL today. Especially in comparison to the brilliance of the Mullany.

Like many of us Riskies, I am writing a Regency-set historical, only I realized a couple of books ago that writing about Almack’s, and the Season, and the traditional Society wasn’t my strong suit, so I took my characters out of London (Right now my h/h are in a small inn in November. And she has no cloak. Sensible, she’s not).

But what about leaving the country entirely? Apparently, it’s becoming more of a ‘thing’ in Regency-sets. According to Leah Hultenschmidt, an editor at Dorchester:

One of our sales reps commented recently that a buyer for one of the major chains told her historicals set in France and Italy seem to be doing well. Given that last week our foreign rights agent mentioned some international publishers were inquiring about French Revolution-set stories, it made me wonder: a Joanna Bourne and/or Loretta Chase effect perhaps? It always amazes me how it really only takes one successful book to create a “glom effect” and the next trend is born (or Bourne).

Now the trick here is not–I repeat, not–to start writing a French Revolution romance now just because you hear they’re selling.

Okay, back to Megan:

My good friend Carolyn Jewel is writing a Regency-set that takes place in Syria. Think about it: Syria in the early nineteenth century. How different from Almack’s will that be! While I am not taking my characters out of the country just yet, I am wondering what authors and readers think about this new trend (albeit a trend of two).

Do you like having your Regency folk in other lands? Do you love it best when they’re in London for the Season dancing at balls and drinking orgeat? What settings intrigue you most? Have you read either of the two books mentioned above?

Megan